A Mother's Musings
by Absalom2692
Summary: Lois knows what's going on, but decides to look the other way. *Malcolm/Reese slash* Rated M for some language and thematic elements. Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.


All of her natural instincts screamed at her to intervene, and God help her, Lois wanted nothing more than to sit the boys down and yell at them for a solid hour until they realized they were acting insane. But for whatever reason, this was one of those times where she remembered very vividly what it was like to be a teenager. She remembered the confusion and the emotions, the late-night whispered phone conversations and schoolgirl daydreams. The childhood romances.

Yes, she was dealing with boys, so it was a little bit different, but as far as Lois was concerned, dumb puppy love was universal for that age, regardless of gender.

So she sympathized, against her better judgment. She understood on that basic level, even if the specifics were mind-boggling to her. And, even worse, she found herself thinking that Malcolm and Reese might actually be good for each other.

It was just a brief thought, and it didn't last long; just a momentary notion that floated to the surface of her mind as she watched them sitting together on the couch, shoulders touching ever so slightly. But the fact that the thought even occurred to her was horrifying. Admitting to herself that she would rather have her sons screw each other than a pair of slutty bimbos at school was not something she was prepared for.

She wasn't sure exactly when she'd first figured it out. It had been a gradual process; there was no moment of revelation, just a quiet, sinking feeling in her stomach that eventually she came to accept. Somewhere during the time when the boys were transitioning into high school and outgrowing their starry-eyed hero worship of Francis (which Lois was eternally grateful for), she began to notice a shift in their relationship. All the elements of traditional sibling rivalry were still there, but their fighting seemed to lack the heat it used to contain. She recalled thinking that they argued more like an old married couple than brothers.

Perhaps it was that thought that triggered something in the back of her brain; a warning of what was on its way.

Malcolm and Reese were inseparable. Lois understood that their family was not exactly popular amongst the neighbors, and it didn't surprise her that the boys didn't have many friends. But once Malcolm stopped hanging out with Stevie every week, opting instead to spend every day with his brother, Lois knew something was up. She couldn't put her finger on it right away because, really, she had no reason to assume the worst.

At least until that defining moment where she spotted them from the window. She was washing the dishes, watching the boys play basketball outside. Malcolm and Dewey were teamed up against Reese, and they were all laughing and having a good time, and Lois was gazing out from the sink with a smile on her face. Dewey was jumping up to try and snag the ball from Reese, and Malcolm snuck around from behind and leaped on his brother's back, and then they were all on the ground wrestling playfully. And Lois's smile didn't falter until Malcolm was on his back looking up at Reese, who was straddling him, and she saw the lust flickering in their eyes as they exchanged what they clearly thought was a private moment. Dewey certainly wasn't paying attention; he was running after the basketball down the driveway.

And Lois knew in that moment that all of her denial and self-assurance and hopes and prayers were all for naught because her sons were in love with each other and there was nothing she could do about it.

That actually was the worst part: the knowledge of her own powerlessness. If only she'd obeyed her initial instincts and put a stop to it right away, instead of thinking long and hard about the situation and arriving, against her will, at the inevitable conclusion that, by this screwed up family's standards, her sons had actually chosen wisely. Sure, when people eventually, inevitably found out about it, there would be pain and humiliation and some of their relatives might ostracize them (though that could potentially be a blessing), and they would probably never make it anywhere in high society (though Reese never had a chance in the first place, and Malcolm was too obsessed with being the smartest person in the room to establish any real contacts). But really, so what? Lois hated admitting it, and wished she had the ability to lie to her own mind, but the cold, hard truth was that their family would always be outcasts. They were blunt and self-destructive, and they had poor judgement and bad foresight, and no normal person would ever accept them into the fold.

So why did it matter?

It didn't. At least not any more than all of the other fucked up habits that divided them from the rest of humanity.

And they were good for each other.

Reese wasn't smart and had no friends, he lacked empathy and common sense, and he needed desperately for someone to accept all of those things without question. He needed someone who would love him in spite of and _because__of_ his many, many flaws.

And Malcolm had very nearly the same problems with socializing, he was far too cynical too stay with any emotionally healthy girl for more than a month, if that. And he needed someone to impress, someone to look up to him and admire his intelligence and dark wit.

So they were a perfect match. And, yeah, they were brothers. But if no one else would ever accept them, why should they hold back from accepting each other. Hell, it would probably have been a good idea for the two of them to hook up even if they _weren__'__t_ attracted to each other at all!

But they were, and they did love each other in a way that Lois had never thought they were capable of. And so she looked the other way. She let it slide. She suffered in silence, waiting for it all to go to hell.

Watching and waiting. Like any good mother would do.


End file.
